Ajuga plant named ‘Parpar’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Ajuga plant named ‘Parpar’ that is characterized by its foliage that emerges dark burgundy in color and matures to yellow-green with apricot-burgundy colors as they mature; creating multi-colored foliage that exists at the same time, its foliage that is vibrant red in winter, and its high resistance to sun scorch and thrives in full sun in the summer in Michigan.

Botanical classification: Ajuga reptans.

Variety denomination: ‘Parpar’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to European Community Plant VarietyOffice (CPVO) Plant Breeder's Rights Application No. 2021/3445 filed onDec. 23, 2021, under 35 U.S.C. 119(f), the entire contents of which isincorporated by reference herein. This application is also co-pendingwith a U.S. Plant Patent Applications filed for a plant derived from thesame breeding program that is entitled Ajuga Plant Named ‘Trotou’ (U.S.Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/687,440).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ajugareptans and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name,‘Parpar’. ‘Parpar’ represents a new cultivar of Ajuga, an herbaceousperennial grown for landscape use.

The new Invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program inHudsonville, Mich. The objective of the breeding program is to developnew cultivars of Ajugas with unique foliage coloration, different leafsizes and strong clump forming growth habits.

The new cultivar arose from a controlled cross made by the Inventor inMarch of 2019 between an unnamed and unpatented plant of Ajuga reptanswith gold foliage as the female parent and ‘Black Scallop’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 15,815). The Inventor selected ‘Parpar’ as a single uniqueplant from amongst the seedlings of the above cross in May of 2020.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stemtip cuttings in June of 2020 in Hudsonville, Mich. Propagation by stemtip cuttings and division has determined the characteristics to bestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes incombination distinguish ‘Parpar’ as a unique cultivar of Ajuga.

-   -   1. ‘Parpar’ exhibits foliage that emerges dark burgundy in color        and matures to yellow-green with apricot-burgundy colors as they        mature; creating multi-colored foliage that exists at the same        time.    -   2. ‘Parpar’ exhibits foliage that is vibrant red in winter.    -   3. ‘Parpar’ exhibits a high resistance to sun scorch and thrives        in full sun in the summer in Michigan.

The female parent plant of ‘Parpar’ differs from ‘Parpar’ in havingfoliage that is all yellow in color that turns brown in winter andflowers that are pink in color. The male parent plant of ‘Parpar’differs from ‘Parpar’ in having foliage that is purple in color duringthe growing season and in winter. ‘Parpar’ can be most closely comparedto Ajuga reptans cultivars ‘Gold Chang’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 32,751) and‘Trotou’. ‘Gold Chang’ is similar to ‘Parpar’ in having foliage that isgold in color and a hardy groundcover growth habit. ‘Gold Chang’ differsfrom ‘Parpar’ in having flowers that are light pink in color, foliagethat is all gold in color, stems that are lime green in color, and inbeing highly susceptible to sun scorch. ‘Troutou’ is similar to ‘Parpar’in having flowers that are blue in color, yellow colored foliage, and ahardy groundcover growth habit. ‘Troutou’ differs from ‘Parpar’ inhaving foliage that all yellow in color and turn dark tan in winter.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date. Disclosures include but are not limited towebsite publications by Romence Gardens, Spring Hill Nursery, GrowingColors, Garden Solutions Plants, Sugar Creek Gardens, Great GardenPlants, Pahls, Winter Green House, Plant Delights, Gateway Gardens, Inthe Country Garden and Gifts, White House Perennials, Etsy, MountainCrest Gardens, Peace Tree Farm, Campbells Nursery, Houzz, Floral Acres,Quality Cuttings, Honeymoon Acres, Pinterest, Blue Sky Nursery, GroffsPlant Farm, Plant Central, jlbg blog, Phoenix Perennials, CreedsideGardens Inc, Timber Pine Store, Landscape Hub, Facebook, The Greenery,Carp Garden Centre, George Weigel, Fine Gardening, Chicago Botanic,Rideau Woodland Ramble, Preen, Hennepin Tech, YouTube, jcra.ncsu,Pleasant Run Nursery, Green Profit, Instagram, BHG, Earth, SunsetNursery, Dianes Greenhouse, Luxury Mantels, Online Flipping Book, BillMoore Co, Betoncilasi, Coleman Nursery, SVG Plants. Calemeo, EasonHorticultural Resources, Mays Greenhouse, Michell's, Zyromski, Masboni,Plant Lust, Penn Live, BFG Supply, Park Stone, and Masty Young Plants.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance anddistinct characteristics of the new Ajuga as grown in a greenhouse inHudsonville, Mich.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of a 2-year-old plant of‘Parpar’ starting to bloom as grown in a 1-gallon container.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the foliage of a2-year-old plant of ‘Parpar’ as grown in a 1-gallon container.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a top view of the winter foliage of6-month-old plants of ‘Parpar’ as grown in 50-cell plugs.

The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Ajuga.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 6-month-old plants of the newAjuga as grown in 4-inch containers in a greenhouse in Hudsonville,Mich. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations inenvironmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England, except where general color termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Blooming period: 14 to 6 weeks in late spring into summer in    Michigan.-   Plant type: Herbaceous perennial.-   Plant habit: Dense, groundcover, compact upright inflorescences.-   Height and spread: 11 cm in height (soil level to top of floral    plane), an average of 7.5 cm in height (soil level to top of foliar    plane) and 17 cm in width, a mature plant in the landscape reaches    an average of 10 cm in height and 46 cm in spread.-   Hardiness: At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 8.-   Diseases and pests: Plants have been observed to be disease free,    however no resistance to any specific diseases is known, no    resistance or susceptibility to pests has been observed.-   Root description: Fine and fibrous, a blend of 158A and NN155A in    color.-   Propagation type: Stem cuttings and division.-   Root development: An unrooted stem cutting will fully root in a    50-cell plug in 8 weeks and a 50-cell plug will fully root in a    1-gallon container in 10 weeks.-   Growth rate: Vigorous.-   Branching habit: Basal rosettes of leaves from rhizomes.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Spatulate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Truncate to base of rhizome.        -   Leaf apex.—Broadly acute to rounded, sometimes notched.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, matches surface colors.        -   Leaf margins.—Moderately undulate.        -   Leaf attachment and arrangement.—Whorled, held in in clumps.        -   Leaf orientation.—Emerge upright and then outward and            bending downwards.        -   Leaf surface.—Very finely puberulent on upper surface,            slightly rough to the touch, glossy, lower surface glabrous            and glossy, base of leaves covered with long woolly            pubescence up to 3 mm in length and NN155D in color.        -   Leaf color.—Young and mature upper surface; 138A, becoming            flushed with 175A and 187A, and then fully changing to 187A            as the leaf ages, base 184C, young and mature lower surface;            148B, main vein and base of leaf becomes very lightly            flushed with a blend of 184C as the leaf ages, peduncle            leaves; upper and lower surface base 92D, center, margins            and top 187B and 184A, winter upper and lower surfaces; a            blend of 70A and 187A.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 9 cm in length, 3 cm in width.        -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 30 in a clump 4 cm in diameter.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Verticillaster, terminal spike,            individual flowers in clusters held in leaf-axils.        -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 7 cm in height and 4 cm in            width.        -   Inflorescence number.—An average of 45 as a fully mature            plant grown in a 1-gallon container.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—10 to 14 days, self-cleaning.        -   Flower type.—Labiate.        -   Flower number.—Average of 35 per inflorescence.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower buds.—Oblanceolate in shape, average of 3 mm in            length and 2 mm in diameter, color; smaller immature buds            150D, larger maturing buds 91A to 91B, immature calyx 91A to            91B, surface matte and densely covered with long, soft            woolly pubescence up to 3 mm in length and matching surface            colors.        -   Flower size.—Average of 1.3 cm in depth, 1 cm in diameter,            throat 2.5 mm in diameter, tube 8 mm in length and 2 mm in            diameter.        -   Peduncles.—An average of 4.5 cm in length, 3 mm in diameter,            vertical angle, moderately strong, color; 145D, surface is            very densely covered with long woolly hairs; up to 3 mm in            length, translucent and matching surface color.        -   Calyx.—Rotate and tubular in shape, 2 mm in length and            diameter.        -   Sepals.—5, 55% fused at base, average of 2 mm in length, 1            mm in width, ovate in shape, apex acute, entire margins,            surface is heavily covered with long woolly hairs 92B and            NN155D in color and translucent, color; inner and outer            surface 91B and 91D, tips 145A.        -   Petals.—55% of petals fused into tube, upper central lobe;            notched, average of 7 mm in length, 7 mm in width, rounded            in shape, obtuse apex, entire margins with no undulation,            upper and lower surface glabrous, satiny, color; upper            surface when opening and fully open N89C, edges N89A,            striped in center 91C, lower surface when opening and fully            open 92A and 92B, outer lobes; 2, average of 5 mm in length,            3 mm in width, oblanceolate in shape, apex is obtuse, entire            margins, no undulation, upper and lower surface glabrous and            velvety, color; N89C, edges N89A, lower surface when opening            and fully open 92A and 92B, flower throat and tube; outer            surface covered with woolly soft pubescence, inner surface            is smooth and glabrous, color; inner and outer surface when            opening and fully open 92B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistils.—1, style; 6 mm in length, 91C in color, stigma;            non-distinguishable, ovary; oblong, 2 mm in length, 1 mm in            width, NN155D in color.        -   Stamens.—5, filament; implanted into flower tube, average of            5 mm in length, top N89A, mid-section to base 91C in color,            anthers; club-shaped, 0.5 mm in diameter, 203A in color,            pollen; moderate in quantity, 23B in color.        -   Fruit.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed to            date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Ajuga plant named‘Parpar’ as described and illustrated herein.